The 28-Day Gut Health Plan: Lose weight and feel better from the inside

Confectionery and sugar

Dark chocolate

Honey

White sugar

Brown sugar

Maple syrup

Herbs and spices

Basil

Chives

Coriander (cilantro)

Ginger

Parsley

Rosemary

Tarragon

Thyme

Cinnamon

Cumin

Five spice

Star anise

Turmeric

Asafoetida

Sauces

Mustard

Tamari (wheat-free) soy sauce

Maple syrup

Balsamic vinegar

Apple cider vinegar

Peanut butter

Mirin

Worcestershire sauce

Fish sauce

HEALING FOODS

If you want foods that not only are ‘safe’ but also help heal the gut from the inside then these are my absolute top foods. Some, like kombucha, help reduce inflammation of the gut, some improve the bacterial balance and others help the digestive tract run more smoothly.

Apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar

Both these vinegars taste amazing and are so versatile. I make a simple salad dressing with both and it is absolutely delicious. Apple cider vinegar and authentic balsamic are fermented foods. Fermented foods are natural sources of really good gut bacteria. These bacteria complement those found in probiotics and help you gain the best balance. Both vinegars also contain acetic acid (it’s what makes them sharp) which helps lower the sugar that we absorb from our food. Here is my perfect go-to salad dressing …

Everyday Healing Vinaigrette

Simply mix together 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, ½ tsp balsamic vinegar, ½ tsp English mustard and a generous seasoning of salt and black pepper.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink. It naturally inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and has a soothing and anti-­inflammatory effect on the gut lining. If you think you have a leaky gut and it is making inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and acne worse, then kombucha may be beneficial for you. There are some amazing online shops selling kombucha drinks that are worth hunting down. And if you find the drink helpful, you can then go on to make your own easily and relatively inexpensively.

Tamari wheat-free soy sauce

Instead of standard soy sauce, you can now buy tamari soy sauce from most supermarkets. It’s a fraction more expensive but not disastrously so. Naturally fermented and wheat-free, it adds different bacterial strains to the probiotic mix.

Psyllium husks

Psyllium is a prebiotic powder that you can buy from health-food shops. I recommend it as it’s the purest and simplest way of adding prebiotics to your diet. Prebiotics are a special type of fibre that complement probiotics as they encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut. Think of prebiotics as food for the good bacteria. Once you have ‘sown the seed’ of probiotics, prebiotics will encourage the good bacteria to grow and flourish. Additionally, the fibre element helps keep your digestive system running smoothly and relieves both diarrhoea and constipation symptoms.

I use psyllium in gluten-free bread recipes, but you can also dissolve a teaspoon in water or juice. It is a very concentrated fibre source, so it is important to drink at least two glasses of water or juice with every teaspoon.

Olive oil

The more natural the oil or fat the better. For this reason the ONLY fats I use in cooking are olive oil and butter. Olive oil is by far the least processed of the oils we use and has a very high percentage of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. You can get olive oil in three varieties (and I use them all): ‘normal’ olive oil is my go-to oil for frying and general cooking, extra-virgin olive oil is fabulous in salad dressings and mild (or light) olive oil is great for baking or anywhere you just need an oil without the olive oil flavour.

HERO FOODS

When you’re avoiding whole food groups, it’s easy to feel that you’re cutting out all the flavour and excitement from your food. After all, if you cut out meat, tomatoes, onion and wheat, what is left?

Actually, there is plenty, but to avoid bland food you have to be a little bit clever with your food swaps. You’ll find that I use all of the swaps listed here in the Gut-Health Plan Recipes and they are key to moving forward and living with food intolerances, whether just for the short term or if you find you need to avoid these foods for the foreseeable future.

Lactose-free milk